Procrastinating the “frank conversation” about race
We almost had that “frank conversation” about race. You know the one. That “frank conversation” about race that everyone gives lip service to and, at times, seem to deeply desire to have, but no one ever has the courage to, either for political reasons or simple cowardice, step up to actually lead. In my view, that conversation has been avoided on purpose.
When Henry Louis Gates was arrested for breaking into his own house and then mouthing off to cops who weren’t racially aware enough to understand the gravity of their situation and then reacted “stupidly”, the resulting tsunami almost led us to actually have that “frank conversation” as a nation.
Almost.
And then we missed it.
It’s a damned shame we missed it too. It may have been the only opportunity we’ll have in quite a while.
In the year and a half or so between the time Barack Obama threw his hat into the ring of the Democratic Primary, and when the headlines broke about Gates being arrested, the issue of race in politics was intentionally suppressed by political strategists and the mainstream media as if we’d somehow come so far as a country that the issue could and should be nothing more than subtext – an afterthought.
Sure, there was much talk about the possibility of the “first black president” – and sure, there were some superficial racial tensions between the Clinton campaign and the Obama campaign. (And I say “superficial” because it was mostly driven and overblown by the blogs and the sensationalistic media than they were by the actual campaigns.)
And, yes, when Barack Obama actually became our first black president, it was a great and historic moment that was, rightfully, celebrated by people of all races who appreciated the gravity of the moment.
Yet, somehow, and amazingly, we navigated the entire experience without ever having actually discussed race and racial issues. How the hell did we manage that?
Save for, perhaps, some crazy talk from fringe elements at McCain/Palin rallies, we all pretended to be above it all and objective about it in a cute sort of naive and innocent kind of way.
And now… now that we have that Black President, we pretend to think it will all be about issues and leadership and politics and diplomacy and the whole country will not think of him as our “Black President” and just think of him as our President and just enjoy having a Democrat President with leadership skills and a left-leaning value system.
But we’re seeing all the thinly-veiled racism of many on the Right with nonsense like “I don’t recognize my country anymore.” and with people carrying guns outside Obama appearances…
But also, the Left responds to every criticism of Obama from the Right with accusations of racism. Democrats, the very ones who would most like to overcome racism, suddenly act like they have only one tool in their box. “Racism”, they cry, at every turn.
Where has the objectivity gone?
Sure, there are racists among Obama’s opponents but, surely, there are better arguments to be made against Republicans and their corporate donors.
I think that all those accusations of “socialism” are a lazy way for the Right to oppose ideas without actually making an argument. But isn’t the habit of the left of focusing on the small but freakish percent of racists on the right a lousy way to respond? Has the acrimony of the Right left the Left so flustered with the use of so few tools?
Has the Right nothing left but to appeal to the most primitive and racists among them to gain support and votes?
Has the Left nothing already but to accuse those who oppose them of racism? Some on the Left have gone so far to write, referring to Obama, “Why don’t you just call him a ni&&er and get it over with!” Is that all we’ve got?
So here we are, with the Left screaming racism every time the Right disagrees with Obama, and the Right screaming “I don’t recognize my country anymore” whilst carrying guns to Obama speeches.
The opportunity for the frank conversation about race came and went so quickly we blinked and missed it, and I don’t know when or if it will ever come again.
I am saddened. And I think we are currently far worse off on issues of race than we were a year and a half ago.
Someday that “frank conversation” about race will come, but it, surely, won’t come from politicians or the media. It’ll have to come from people like you and I, when we’ve had enough of the superficial and fake stuff we’re fed from the media. Perhaps, someday, we’ll gather the courage on our own, and make the kind of close, interracial relationships to make sense of this shit on our own. And not be afraid to talk about it.
